Article of repose for supporting the body of a person



July 12, 1960 A. LORENZ ARTICLE OF REPOSE FOR SUPPORTING THE BODY OF A PERSON 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 5. 1954 INVENTOR. ANTON LORENZ BY ATTORNEY.

July 12, 1960 A. LORENZ 2,944,594

ARTICLE OF REPOSE FOR SUPPORTING THE BODY OF A PERSON Filed Nov. 5. 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Tiq-1'l- 336 3&4 5 576 325 1326 INVENTOK ATTORNEK y 1960 A. LORENZ 24,944,594

ARTICLE OF REPOSE FOR SUPPORTING THE BODY OF A PERSON Filed Nov. 5, 1954 s Sheets-Sheet 3 Ti q 5- 4 "R ii 4% r i a -E- 425 494 492 425 410 ,NVENTOR ANTON LORENZ ATTORNEY.

, Patented Jul iz, 19

ARTICLE or REPOSE FOR SUPPORTING THE BODY or A PERSON p Anton Lorenz, Ocean Ridge, Boynton Beach, Fla.

Filed Nov. 5, 1954, Set. 466,992 8 Claims. (Cl. 155-106 This invention relates to improvements in articles of furniture and in particular to a reclining chair of the ment of a reclining chair according to the invention a portion of a side wall being broken away.

Fig.4 is a sideelevation'al view ofjstill another embodiment of a reclining chair according to the invention, a portion of a side wall being'broken away.

Fig. is a side elevational view of a furtherembodiment of a recliningtchair according to the invention, a

portion ofa side wall being'broken' away; and

v Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the chairshown in Fig. 5, a' portion of a sidewall beingbroken away, said Fig. 6, however, illustrating the movable members of the type having a pivotable seat and back-rest and a leg-rest supported by a leg-rest control linkage for coordinated movement in response to pivoting movement of the seat and back-rest;

According to the invention there is provided a reclining chair having a body-supporting structure including a seat and back-rest mounted on a fixed support frame for pivoting movement between an upright sitting position and a rearwardly-tilted reclining position, a leg-rest, and

chair in a reclined position.

. Referring in detail to the drawings, and in particular to Fig. 1, there is shown a reclining chair which includes a support frame 10 having side walls 12 and 14 connected with each other in any suitable manner, as for example by cross braces. The reclining chair also has a body a supporting structure which includes a back-rest 16'having a downward extension 18 rigid therewith, and swingably mounted on the support 10 at pivot 20. The body-supporting structure also includes 'a seat 22 Which is also a leg-rest linkage of novel construction associated with the body supporting structure and the support frame and connected to the leg-rest for movement of the latter between a reclined position beneath the forward end of the seat'and an extended position forwardly of and substantially at the level of the seat and spaced forwardly of the seat. 7 a i a 7 'It is an object of the present invention to provide-a reclining chair having an improved leg-rest. control linkage so constructed as to space the leg-rest a relatively swingably mounted on the support 10 at pivot 20 for pivoting movement independently of the back-rest 1 6.

A leg-rest 48 is pivotally mounted at the forward'end of the seat 22 for pivoting movement between a retracted position, shown in full line in Fig. 1, beneath the forward end of the seat in the sitting position, and an extended position'shown in broken line in Fig. 1, in which it is spaced forwardly jof-the front end of the seat- 22. in the reclining position', and is substantially at the levelof said seat.- The leg-rest48 is'mounted on a rod 54 which-is pivoted to theforward end of the seatat 56. The rod '54 extends slidably within a sleeve 52 fixed to. the lower long distance from the frontof the seat when the'legrest is raised from its retracted position to its extended position.

Another object ofthe invention is the provision of a leg-rest control linkage of the character" described in which the links thereof form a closed quadrilateral linkage struc;

ture connected at one end to the leg-rest and atthe other end to the body-supporting structure, in such a manner that when the body-supporting unit is moved lto its reclined position, the quadrilateral linkage-is expanded in the direction of the leg-rest, thereby raising the leg-rest to its extended position and at the same time thrusting the leg-rest outwardly and forwardly, away fromthe front I end of the seat. 7 a p A further object of the invention is the provision of a leg-rest control linkage of the character described in which slide means are provided, as a part of the leg-rest support and control structure, to cooperate with' the quadrilateral linkage and permit the leg-rest to b'eextended well'forwardly of the seat. i

with a minimum. ofparts, andi isthus effective". and

economical. of manufacture.

Additional objects and advantages 6r thelinventioni-will become apparent during the .course' of the following specification when .taken in connection with the }acconipanying' drawings, in which: V W 4 I .Fig. 1 is a side elevational viewpof' a reclining arm'- chair according to the invention, a portion of a side wall Big. 3 is a side elevationaLview of-a furtherfernbodi-Y" surface of'the leg-rest 48;" By-virtue ofthe rod 54 and s'leeve' 52,=-tl1e leg-rest 48 is not onlypivotable upon the seat 22 about the -pivot 56, but is also slidable outwardly away fromthe seat upon said rod 54. Y 3

Also includedin the reclining chair of Fig. 1 is a legrest control linkage'made in accordance with the-present invention for moving the leg-rest between .its retracted position and its extended position in coordinated response to movement of the body-supporting structure'between its upright sitting position and rearwardly tilted reclining position. Saidleg-rest controllinkageincludes a guiding link 38 pivotally mounted on the support 10 by a pivot V 40"and'carrying at its lowerend a first link 34 which'is pivoted at one end to the guidinglink- 38at a pivot 36, and at its other end is pivotally connected to the legrest 48 at a pivot 50. The control linkage also includes a second link 26 pivotally connected atone end to the 1 depending extension 18' ofthe back-rest 16 ata pivot 24,v and pivotally connected at an intermediate point thereof to an intermediate point of the guiding link 38 at .a pivot 42. Athird link 30 extends between and'cona}. z t

A further objectof the invention'is the provision of a' leg-rest controllinkage of the character described which" provides well balanced and well controlled movement nected :at its other'endto anintermediate 5 mbon the I Ihelinkage structure also 'includes'a seat control link 44 which is connected at one'end'to the lowerportion of I the seat 22 at a'pivot 46, and'at its other'endis con- -nected to the guiding link 38 andzsecon d link 126'byt he aforementionedpivot 42. The swingingJmovement of the seat 22 aboutfitspivot 20 is coordinatedwith the movement of the linkage by means of thelink 44'." I It will be observed that the guidingtlink '38together with thelinks. 26, 30and 34 mm a closed quadrilateral linkage structure: which is bounded'zbythe1-pivots 28, 3'2,

36 and42. The topzar'mof the quadrilateral}structure.

isiformed bythe jforward portion ofthesec'ond' link "26;'

the bottom arm? by therearportion ofthe "first1inlg'34,

the rear side portion by the bottom portion of the guiding link 38, and the forward portion by the third link 30.

It will be observed that the top arm of the quadrilateral linkage formed by the second link 26 is longer than the bottom arm formed by the first link 34, that is to say, the pivots '42-and 28 are spaced apart a greater distance than the pivots 36 and 32. The third link 30 is inclined rearwardly from its top end to its bottom end because of this difierence in spacing between said pivots. In the retracted position of the leg-rest shown in full line in Fig. 1, the links 36 and 28 are spaced apart a substantial distance to permit the, leg-rest 43 to be located beneath the seat.

Theback-rest 16 is brought to its reclining position by rearward pressure of the users back thereupon, causing the back-rest 16 to tilt rearwardly about its pivot 20 and thereby causing the back-rest extension 18 to pivot forwardly to the position shown in dotted line in Fig. 1. This pivoting movement of the back-rest extension 18 moves the second link 26 forwardly and upwardly, and through the connection of the second link 26 with the intermediate portion of the guiding link 38 at pivot 42, the lower end of the guiding link 33 is pivoted upwardly and forwardly to an even greater degree than the back-rest extension 18. The pivot 36 is thus moved upwardly and forwardly to a greater extent than the pivot 28, thereby bringing the pivot 36 and pivot 23 closer together and causing the quadrilateral linkage to expand in the direction of the leg-rest 48, as shown in broken line in Fig. 1. The rearwardly directed angle of the third link 39 is such that said link 33 must pivot in a downward and forward direction about the pivot 28. This downward and forward movement of the lower end of the third link 31 at the pivot 32 also tends to pivot the first link 34 downwardly and forwardly about its pivot .36. This could not be accomplished however, if the leg-rest 48 were connected at a fixed pivot to the seat. Thus, the rod 54 and sleeve 52 permit such movement of the third link 3% and consequently of the first link 34, the pivoting of the third link 36 thrusting the link 34 downwardly and'outwardly at pivot 59 away from the forward end of the seat, and thus, at the end of the movement into the reclined po- ,sition, the leg-rest 48 is located a substatnial distance forwardly of the front end of the seat as shown in broken line in Fig. 1.

In the reclined position, the link 44 is raised and pivoted rearwardly about pivot 42 by the forward and upward movement of the second link 26, thus raising the seat to the reclining position shown in broken line in Fig. 1.

Fig. 2 shows a modified form of reclining chair which again includes a support frame 110 and a body supporting structure comprising a back-rest 116 having a depending extension 118 and a seat 122. Both thebackrest and seat are independently pivoted on the support at a common pivot point 126.

The chair also includes a leg-rest 148 and a leg-rest control linkage comprising afirst link 134, a second link 126, a third link 130 and a guiding link 138.. The guiding link 138 is pivotally mounted on the support 110 at a pivot 140. The second link 126 is connected at its rear end to the depending extension 118 of the back-rest 116 by a pivot 124. The second link 126 is connected to the guiding link 138 at a pivot 142 and to the third link 130 at a pivot 128. The other end of the third link 130 is connected to the first link 134 at a pivot 132. The link 134 is connected to the guiding link at a pivot 136. The forward end of the first link 134' is connected to the leg-rest at a pivot 150. V

A bar 158 is swingably mounted on'the forward end of the seat 122 at pivot 16% and at its lower end carries 'a link 168 which is piovted thereto at 166 and is also pivoted to the leg-rest 148 at pivot 170, the pivot 179' being. spaced from the other leg-rest pivot 150. The

bar 158 is operatively connected with the first link 134 by a pin-and-slot connection 162, 164, the pin 162 being affixed to an intermediate portion of the first link 134 and the slot 164 being contained centrally in bar 158.

A seat control link 144 is connected at its top end by pivot 14-6 to the seat 122, and at its bottom end is connected by a pivot 143 to an intermediate portion of the second link 126, in such a manner that when the leg-rest linkage is propelled forwardly and upwardly by movement of the back-rest 116, the seat control link 144 urges the seat 122 upwardly to its reclined position shown in broken line in Fig. 2. 7

Again it will be observed that the links 126, 138, and 134- form a closed quadrilateral linkage structure bounded by the pivots 128, 132, 136 and 142. As was previously described in connection with the embodiment of Fig. l, rearward pivoting movement of the back-rest 116 to its reclined position causes the pivots 128 and 136 to move toward each other and the pivots 132 and 142 to move away from each other, the quadrilateral linkage is therefore expanding in the direction of the leg-rest 143. This expansion of the quadrilateral linkage causes the third link 1311 to pivot forwardly and downwardly due to the greater spacing of the pivots 128 and 142 than the pivots 132 and 136. The third link 130 therefore moves the first link 134 forwardly and downwardly and effects a movement of the leg-rest 148 outwardly away from the front of the seat. This forward thrust of the leg-rest 148 is permitted by the pin-and-slot connection 162, 164, the pin 162 on first link 1% moving from the upper or rearward end of the slot 164 to the front or opposite end of said slot. Thus, the closed quadrilateral linkage cooperates with the slide means to extend the leg rest outwardly of the seat.

An alternate embodiment of the reclining chair is shown in Fig. 3, the chair again including a support frame 210 upon which is mounted a body supporting structure including a seat 222 and a back-rest 216 having a depending extension 218. The seat 22 2 and backrest 216 are both mounted by a common pivot 220 on the suppoit frame 211 The leg-rest 248 is carried by a leg-rest control linkage which includes a first link 2%, a second link 226, a third link 231) and a guiding link'233. The guiding link 233 of the linkage is again pivoted to the support 210 at pivot 240. The second link 2226 is pivoted at one end to the back-rest extension 218 at a pivot 22 8- and is also pivoted to the guiding link at pivot 242 and to the third link 239 at pivot 2'28. The first link 234 is pivoted to the end of the guiding link 238 at pivot 236 and at its other end is pivoted to the leg-rest at pivot 250. The third link 2311 is pivoted at its bottom end to an intermediate portion" of the first link 234 at pivot 232.. At its upper end the third link 230 has an integral extension 245 which extends past the second link 226 and is connected to the seat at pivot 246.

The second link 226 extends past its pivotal connection with the third link 230 and at its front end is connected by a pivot 272 to a'bar 2'59 whichat its lower'end carries a link 268 connected thereto by pivot 266. The other end of the link 268 is connected to the leg-rest 248 at pivot point 27 which pivot point is spaced from the other leg-rest pivot 25%. Y

:Again, the links226, 238, 2.34 and 2319 form a closed quadrilateral linkage which is bounded by the pivots 223, 232, 236 and 242. The upper arm of the quadrilateral linkage which is formed by that portion ofthe second link 226 between the pivots 228 and 242 is longer than the lower arm of the quadrilateral linkage which is formed by the first link 234 between the pivots 232 and 236. Thus, the third link 231} is inclined rearwardlyfrom' its top to its bottom end and is thus positioned to pivot downwardly and outwardly to carry the first link 234- in the same direction when'the quadrilateral linkage is extended, aswas previouslydescribed, by rearward pivoting movement ofthe back-rest 216. The leg-rest 242 is thus thrust outwardly of the seat 222 when the leg-rest is lifted to its extended position'shown in broken line in Fig. 3.

It will be observed that in this instance, the upper portion 245 of the third link 230 acts as the seat control link to raise the'seat- 222 to its reclining position in response to rearward tilting movement'of the back-rest I The bar 259 contains a-slot'264 which cooperates with a pin 262 aflixed to an intermediate portion of the first link 234 between the pivots 232 and 250. This pin-andslot connection 262'and 264 operates in the same fashion as has been previously described in connection with Fig. 2, to cooperate with the quadrilateral linkage, permitting the leg-rest 248 to 'be brought to its extended position.

Another embodiment of the reclining chair is shown,

' arrangement which is bounded by the pivots 328, 332,

336 and 342 which interconnect said links. The first link 334 is pivotally connected to the leg-rest at a pivot point 350, while an additional link 386 is pivotally connected at a spaced point 388 on said leg-rest and to an intermediatepoint on the third link 338 by apivot 390. i

The rear end of the second link-326of said linkage is pivoted at 325 to the lower end of an arm 376, the upper end of which is pivoted to the support 310 at a pivot 378. The arm 376 is connected to theglower portion of the back-rest extension 319 by. alink 382, one end of .which is pivoted to theupper portion of the arm 376at 380, and

the: other end of which .is pivot ed at 384 to 1 the extension.319.-

7 When these broken line in Fig. 4, the quadrilateral linkage is again caused to expand bringing the pivots 328 and 336 'closer wardly of th'e se'at 322.

. is pivoted forwardly, thus thrusting the leg-rest 348 outtand back-rest unit 374;,is pivoted rear- .wardly upon pivot 32110 its recliningxpositionshownin leg-rest outwardly of the seat comprises 'a sleeve 498 hav: ing two parallel bores 400 and 402, and pivoted to the first 1ink434 at pivot point 404. A rod 454 is swingto the leg-rest. 448,. and is slidably engaged-with the bore 402 of the sleeve 498. I

The links 426, 430, 434 and 438 again form a closed quadrilateral linkage bounded by the pivots 428, 432, 436 and 442. Again, the toparm of the quadrilateral linkage formed by the portion of the second link 426 between the pivot points 442 and 428 is longer than the bottom armformed by that portion of first link 434 between the pivots 436 and 432, and the third link 430'is rearwa-rdly inclined. When the user leans rearwardly upon the seat and back-rest unit 474, the unit pivots .rearwardly about pivot 423, causing the link 482 to pull be equipped with limiting means "for limiting the sitting rearwardly upon the top arm 496 of the bell crank lever '494 and pivoting the lower-arm492 forwardly and'upwardly. Such pivoting movement of the bell crank lever 494 urges the second'link 426 atpivot'425 forwardly and v upwardly and causes the quadrilateral linkage to expand in the direction of the leg-rest 448, the links 428 and 436 being drawn together as shown in Fig. 6, and thelinks ,432 and 442 being further separated. The link 430 pivots about the pivot 428 so that its lower end moves through a downward and forward arc and draws the first .link 434 forwardly and downwardly in a direction to move the leg-rest 448 outwardly from the front of the seat 442-as the leg-rest is brought ,to its extended posi: tion of Fig. 6. j This outward thrustof theleg-rest 448 ispermitted by the sliding movement of the rods. 454 and 406 in .thefresp ec-tiye sleeve bores 400 and 402.,

Each of the embodiments shown-in the drawings may position and the reclined position of the movable ,mejm

- bers jof the chain Suchlimitingfmeans;isponventional and well known, and is not illustrated herein for con "venience,

Furthermore, each of theembodiments in the drawings may be equippedwith conventional locking meansfor holding the movable members of the chair in any desired position..,

A -further' modified form .of thejinvention is shown 'in I FigsMS and 6, again the recliningich air having a seat and back-rest unit 474 in which theseat 422 isrigi-d with the back-rest v.416, andithe. back-rest has a depending extension 419. In this instance, the lower endof the ex 3 tension- 419 is .pivotedto the support. frame; 410 at a pivotpoint 423.' 7 Therleg-r'est .448 is actuatedin the mannerpreviously 5 supporting. structure for actuation thereby, the leg-rest 'beingj'carriedby said leg-rest;linkageformovement from described by-aleg-rest linkage which includes :a guiding 1 link' 438'pivotedat its top-end tothe support frame'410 5 at 4 .0., and pivoted at its bottom end to the first link'434 at 436,; The opposite e'ndof the first link 434 ispivote'd at 450 to theleg-rest 448'. The'second link 426crosse's 'r e-guidingilink 43s and is pivotedfto said guiding link-f s crossing overpoint at a pivot442'. The end of the 2t second link 426 carries the third link 430 and is pivoted thereto by a pivot 428; Theother' end of the third link i i 438 is pivoted to anintermediatelportion any; first link 434'bya-pivot 432."" i V "-"Therear end of the second link 426 is pivoted at 425 to the'bottom'arm492- of a bell'crank lever 494. The bell crankleveri494 isipivotallyniounted at 478" on thesupportifrariie "410ga'nd its to p. arm 496 is pivoted at480 to one n'd'of a. link 482, the other end ofwhich is pivoted at4841mmdependin extension-419 of the seat and back rest unit'474'i 1 1" In' this embodiment, the slide means-for extending the" ally; mounted on the supportframe for movement'b'etween an upright sitting position'and a r'earwardly tilted position, anda leg-rest; aleg-rest Ilink'age coupled to the body a retracted positionxbeneath the seat to an extended position forwardly of-and substantially at the level of said seat'in response to rearward tilting movement of the bodysupporting structure, said leg-rest -linkage includinga guiding'link pivotally' 'mounted on the ,support,' a-first link' pivotallyconnected to the 1eg-rest,a second link operatively connected to. said body-supporting structure,

and a third link, saidjlinksbeing'pivotally interconnected to form aclosed quadrilateral linkage, the. upper arm of -which is formed by a portion of "the second link, the lower t arn iof which is formed by a portioniofthefirst link, and e the side arms of which are formed by portions of the guiding and third links, said 'upper .arm being longer than the lower arm and the third linkbei'ng inclined from its top to bottom toward said guiding. link in the upright sitting position of the body-supportingstructure, whereby said third link turns said first'link forwardly and downwardly and said first link carries said leg-rest in a direction 7 7 awa from the front end of the seat as the leg-rest is raised to its extended position.

2 A reclining chair according to claim 1 which also includes slide means connecting said leg-rest to a movable portion of said chair, said slide means being positioned to guide the leg-rest away from the seat when the leg,- rest is propelled outwardly and forwardly of the seat by action of the third link upon said first link.

3. In a reclining chair having a support frame, a body-supporting structure including a seat and a backrest pivotally mounted on the support frame for moveinent between an upright sitting position and a rearwardlytilted posit'ion, and a leg-rest; a leg-rest linkage operatively coupled to the body-supporting structure for actuation thereby, said leg-rest being pivotally mounted on said legrest linkage for movement from a retracted position beneath the seat to an extended position forwardly of and substantially at the'level of said seat in response to rearward tilting movement of the body-supporting structure, said leg-rest linkage including a guiding link pivotally mounted on the support, a first link pivotally connected to and carrying the leg-rest, a second link operatively connected to said body-supporting structure, and a third link, said links being pivotally interconnected to form a closed quadrilateral linkage having an upper arm formed by a portion of the second link, a lower arm formed by a portion of the first link, a rear arm formed by a portion of the guiding link, and a front arm formed by said third link, said upper arm being longer than the lower arm and the front arm being inclined in a rearward and downward direction in the upright sitting position of the body-supporting structure for forward and downward pivoting movement when the body-supporting structure is tilted rearwardly whereby to urge the first link and the leg-rest carried thereby in a direction to propel the leg-rest outwardly and forwardly of the seat as the leg-rest is raised to its extended position.

4. In a reclining chair having a support frame, a body-supporting structure including a seat and back-rest pivotally mounted on the support frame for movement between an upright sitting position and a rearwardly-tilted position, and a leg-rest; a leg-rest linkage connecting the body-supporting structure to the leg-rest for movement of the latter from a retracted position beneath the seat to an. extended position forwardly of and substantially at the level of said seat in response to rearward tilting movement of the body-supporting structure, said leg-rest linkage including a guiding link pivotally mounted on the support, a first link pivotally connected to the leg-rest and to' said guiding link, a second link operatively connected to said body-supporting structure and to an intermediate point on said guiding link, and a' third link connecting said first and second links, said links being pivotally interconnected to form a closed quadrilateral linkage, the

upper arm of which is formed by a portion of the second,

link, the lower arm of which is formed by a portion of the first link, and the side arms of which are formed by portions of the guiding link and third link respectively, said upper arm being longer than the lower arm and the third link in the upright sitting position'of the body-supporting structure being inclined in a direction'to urge the first link in a direction to move the leg-restoutwardly away from the forward end of the seat when the legrest is raised to its extended position, and slide means cooperating with said quadrilateral linkage for guiding said leg-rest away from said seat in coordination with movement of said first link. a

5'. In a reclining chair having a support frame, a bodysupporting structure including a seat and a back-rest pivotally mounted on the support frame for movement between an upright sitting position and a rearwardlytilted position, and a leg-rest; a leg-rest linkage connecting the body-supporting structure to the leg-rest for. move- 8 merit of the latter from a retracted position beneath the seat to an extended position forwardly of and substantially at the level of said seat in response to rearward tilting movement of the body-supporting structure, said leg-rest linkage including a guiding link pivotally mounted on the support and depending therefrom, a first link pivotally connected at one end to the leg-rest and at its other end to the lower end of the guiding link by a first pivot, a second link operatively connected at its rear end to said body-supporting structure for movement therewith and connected at an intermediate point to an intermediate point on the guiding link by a second pivot, a third link connected at one end to the front end of the second link by a third pivot and connected at its other end to an intermediate point on the first link by a fourth pivot; said interconnected links forming a closed quadrilateral linkage having an upper arm formed by that portion of the second link between the second and third pivots, a lower arm formed by that portion of the first link between the first and fourth pivots, a rear arm formed by that portion of the guiding link between the first and second pivots, and a front arm formed by that portion of the third iink between the third and fourth pivots, the upper arm being of greater length than the lower arm and the third link being inclined rearwardly as it extends downwardly from the third pivot in the upright sitting position of the body-supporting structure to the fourth pivot, whereby upon forward movement of the second link with the body-supporting means, the third link is pivoted in a direction to move the fourth pivot forwardly and downwardly, increasing the angle between the first link and the guiding link at the first pivot, and moving the first link in a direction to carry the leg-rest away from the forward end of the seat.

6. A reclining chair according to claim 5 which also includes slide means supporting the leg-rest at a point spaced from its pivotal connection with the first link, said slide means being extensible as said leg-rest is raised to guide the leg-rest away from said seat as said leg-rest is carried away from said seat. by said first link. 7

7. A reclining chair according to claim 6 in which the slide means comprises a telescopic leg-rest supportmember pivotally mounted on the seat and connected to said leg-rest.

8. A. reclining chair comprising a support, a bodysupporting structure including a seat and a back-rest mounted on said support for rearward tilting movement, a leg-rest, a leg-rest control linkage carrying said leg-rest and adapted to guide said leg-rest in a selected path between a retracted position beneath the seat and an extended position forwardly of the seat, and a constrained linkage for actuating said leg-rest control linkage in response to tilting movement of said body-supporting structure, said constrained linkage including as movable links an arm and a guiding link pivotally mounted at spaced points on the support and a connecting link pivotallyconnected at spaced points to said arm and guiding link, said constrained linkage also including as a stationary link that portion of the support between the pivotal mounts of said arm and guiding link thereon, said arm being operatively coupledto the body-supporting structure'for movement of the constrained linkage in response to tilting move-' ment' of the body-supporting structure, said leg-rest convtrol linkage including a portion of said guiding link, a

portion of said connecting fink, a leg-rest link pivotally connected at one end tosaid guiding link and at its other end pivotally connected to and carrying the leg-rest, and a control link connected at one end to said leg-rest link and at the other end to said connecting link, said guiding link, connecting link, leg-rest link andcontrol link forming a closed quadrilateral linkage, the upper arm of which is formed by a portion of the connecting link and the lower arm of which is formed by a portionof the leg rest link, said upper arm being longer than the lower 9 arm and the control link in the retracted position of the leg-rest being inclined in a direction to urge the end of the leg-rest link which is pivoted to the leg-rest forwardly and downwardly upon actuation of the control linkage by the constrained linkage, whereby the leg-rest is pro- 5 pelled away from the forward end of the seat, said control means also including slide means remote from said quadrilateral linkage and connecting said leg-rest to a movable element of said chair.

' 10 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 521,257 Browne June 12, 1894 2,672,919 Luckhardt Mar. 23, 1954 2,693,845 Hoffman Nov. 9, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 19,394 Sweden May 13, 1905 683,042 Great Britain Nov. 19, 1952 

